Isle of Wight ferry crossing

[TC3]

E mailed the ferry company to ask how the bikes are secured on the boats and all they said was they are secured by blocks which i did not understand. Can someone clarify that for me and tell me just how the bikes are secured and if you need your own straps?

[Carsick]

they're not secured. you put it on the stand and if you're lucky a chock will get put under a wheel to stop it rolling.
If you're paranoid or don't have a stand then you wait with your bike. It's only a short crossing, anyway.

'used to work for wightlink'

edit: bikes don't often fall over on the ferry, btw.

[Sid Squid]

I've used the IOW ferry many times and I've never seen a bike fall over, as long as it's in gear and you park it sensibly it'll be fine.
The water's always been as near flat as makes no difference whenever I've been on the ferry, I've never been at all concerned that there'd be a problem.

[Carsick]

oh, and make sure you're sitting down when you find out how much it's going to cost.

[hall13uk]

on a different corssing like to france or beligum the hovercraft & ferry companys strap the bikes down, but going to the IOW i don't think they bother as it's not a long crossing (35 mins i think) & it's almost always calm. due to crossing route being sheltered against the worst weather by the IOW.

[TC3]

Thanks for the replys. I rode around Isle of Wight on my mountain bike last year but that was a cheap crossing as we went with the foot passenger ferry. I do not mind staying with the bike on the safe side as it is a short crossing. Never asked what it costs as it is in the planning stages

[Carsick]

Roughly £25 for a mcycle if you book in advance. I can't remember for on the day tickets.

[TC3]

Roughly £25 for a mcycle if you book in advance. I can't remember for on the day tickets.

If thats return it is fine as it will be the first time the bike leaves uk mainland :roll:

[MavUK]

Roughly £25 for a mcycle if you book in advance. I can't remember for on the day tickets.

Wow that's cheap.. When I went in 97 with my Pug 205 it cost me more than 100 return (lymuth crossing. IIRC one of the most expensive boat trips in the work at 200gbp per mile)

Stu

[Carsick]

That's from Lymington. It's less than 5 miles across water.

The £25 return is the best price you can get in advance at this time of year. It is more in the summer.
I suppose it doesn't sound that bad on it's own, but as a comparison, our return to La Havre was £25 each.

[Last Action Pimp]

that isle of wight ferry is expensive for cars, i have taken my bike over and it was just left on the sidestand, it was fine, i am sure that they have enough bikes going over to know what the best way is and i am sure that they will have insurance (does it count is the bike in their care?? )

i cant wait to take my bike over there again, as i was going to in the summer but my mum talked me into leaving it.

so i ended up watching, biker boys, torque and all of the Long Way Round

[Carsick]

i am sure that they have enough bikes going over to know what the best way is and i am sure that they will have insurance (does it count is the bike in their care?? )

The first part, I'm not so sure of. Occasionally there are bangs and cars have been known to slide across the deck into each other.
The second part is true, there are regularly payouts for damage to cars. Either from bad directions (usually drivers fault, really) or the ferry bumps.

Like I said, though, bikes still don't often fall over.

[MavUK]

That's from Lymington. It's less than 5 miles across water.

The £25 return is the best price you can get in advance at this time of year. It is more in the summer.
I suppose it doesn't sound that bad on it's own, but as a comparison, our return to La Havre was £25 each.

Thankyou! (IT's been a while since I've been there unfortunately so I forgot :)

Must go back at some point - but I thik the ferry fares would get me to much nicer places (400gbp from Holland the the UK then another 100 for the IOW ferry) :(

Stu

[TC3]

The guys have now decided to plan it for May so can expect higher fares and have plenty time to sort it out. Still will prob stay with the bike though :roll: :lol: